The Parliaments
| Company type | Vocal group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1956 |
| Headquarters | Plainfield, New Jersey , United States |
Key people | George Clinton, Ray Davis, Fuzzy Haskins, Calvin Simon, Grady Thomas |
| Products | Music recordings (singles and albums) |
The Parliaments were a five-member American vocal group originating from Plainfield, New Jersey, established in 1956 and named after the cigarette brand. Beginning their journey with doo-wop performances, the ensemble eventually solidified under the leadership and management of George Clinton, alongside members Ray Davis, Fuzzy Haskins, Calvin Simon, and Grady Thomas. Clinton also co-owned the barbershop where they rehearsed. Over time, The Parliaments transformed into the bands Parliament and Funkadelic, which gained significant commercial acclaim during the 1970s.
History
Drawing inspiration from Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, the group crafted a unique style that fused elements of soul and funk with imaginative lyrical content. Throughout the 1960s, they faced challenges achieving mainstream hits, releasing singles through various smaller labels such as Apt, Flipp, Golden World, and Revilot. Notable tracks included "Poor Willie," "Lonely Island," and "Heart Trouble," the latter of which was later reimagined as "You Can't Miss What You Can't Measure" on Funkadelic’s 1973 album Cosmic Slop. Numerous early recordings were subsequently reinterpreted for albums by Parliament and Funkadelic.
During this period, Clinton contributed as a songwriter and producer at Motown Records, working with artists like The Pets and Roy Handy. The group experienced a breakthrough in 1967 with "(I Wanna) Testify," released on Revilot, which climbed to No. 3 on the R&B charts and No. 20 on the Billboard pop chart. Notably, Clinton was the only original member present on this track; session musicians substituted for others who were unable to travel to Detroit. To capitalize on this success, Clinton expanded the lineup by adding five backing instrumentalists.
After Revilot declared bankruptcy and legal issues arose concerning the use of "The Parliaments" name, Clinton rebranded the project as Funkadelic, shifting towards a funk-rock sound while retaining the original vocalists as uncredited contributors. The Parliaments' catalog was acquired by Atlantic Records, leading Clinton to distance himself from doo-wop styles associated with that label. By 1970, he revived the vocal group under the name Parliament, focusing on funk rooted in R&B traditions. Both Parliament and Funkadelic operated concurrently under different record companies, marketed as separate funk entities but sharing many of the same members.
Several early tracks from The Parliaments were adapted for later releases under Parliament-Funkadelic. In 1995, original recordings by The Parliaments were reissued on Goldmine/Soul’s album titled Testifyin'.
The Silk Palace
Located at 216 Plainfield Avenue, The Silk Palace was a barbershop partially owned by Clinton that became a central hub for members of Parliament-Funkadelic and other local musicians during Plainfield’s thriving music scene of doo-wop, soul, rock, and proto-funk throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
Discography
Albums
- Backtrack: a compilation featuring four singles from The Parliaments’ Revilot releases alongside a George Clinton-produced track performed by The Debonaires.
- The Parliaments - I Wanna Testify: encompasses all singles issued on Revilot as well as instrumental versions and songs written by Clinton.
- The Parliaments - Testifyin': The Mid 60's Detroit Sessions: similar to I Wanna Testify but includes additional singles released on Golden World.
- The Parliaments - Testify: The Best of the Early Years: an extensive collection containing rare B-sides in addition to well-known tracks.
Singles
- Poor Willie / Party Boys APT 45-25036
- Lonely Island / You Make Me Wanna Cry FL-45-100
- Heart Trouble / That Was My Girl GW-46
- (I Wanna) Testify / I Can Feel the Ice Melting RV-207
- All Your Goodies Are Gone / Don't Be Sore At Me RV-211
- Little Man / The Goose (That Laid the Golden Egg) RV-214
- Look at What I Almost Missed / What You Been Growing RV-217
- Good Ole Music / Time RV-223
- A New Day Begins / I'll Wait RV-228 (subsequently re-released under Atco label ATCO 45-6675)